Pyrophoric lighting mechanism



Dec. 13, 1938.' l.. v. ARoNsoN PYROPHORICLIGHTING IVIECIIAIISMv OriginalFiled March 29, 1935 INVENTOR Zalm?, FAI-01250;@

NEYS

Patented Dec. 13, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Louis V. Aronson,Newark, N. J., assignor to Art Metal Works, Inc., a corporation of NewJersey Original application March 29, 1935, Serial No.

this application October 13,627. Divided and 26, 1936, Serial No.107,547

5 Claims.

My invention relates to pyrophoric lighting mechanism of the typecomprising a torch utilizable for purposes such, for example, as theignition of cigars, cigarettes, pipes, etc.

My invention, in an important phase thereof, relates to pyrophoriclighting mechanism constructed and arranged in such manner that adetachable torch arrangement may be utilized as a lever to actuate thesparking device of said mechanism.

Various other objects, advantages and characteristics of my inventionwill become apparent from the following detailed description.

My invention resides in the pyrophoric lighting mechanism, combinationsand features of the character hereinafter described and claimed.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 13,627,filed March 29, 1935.

For an understanding of my invention and for an illustration of one ofthe many forms thereof, reference is to be had to the accompanyingdrawing, in Which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View, partly in section, of pyrophoriclighting mechanism as constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View, partly in elevation, correspondinggenerally with Fig. 1 but showing a different relation of some of theparts;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view, partly in plan, and is taken onthe line 3 3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, transverse vertical sectional view, partly inelevation, of the sparkproducing unit;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, of a torcharrangement; and

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view, partly in plan, and is take-n onthe line 6 5 of Fig. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows.

As disclosed on the drawing, there is shown a main casing C which isformed from sheet metal or other suitable material and which may be openat the bottom. thereof so that a fuel casing F may be telescopicallyreceived therein in freely detachable relation. Suitably secured to themain casing C is a cover plate P which has a pair of spaced, dependinglugs I, Ia soldered or otherwise suitably fastened'thereto. Suitablysecured to these lugs, as by screws 2 is a depending frame 3 which formsa support for the hereinafter described operating mechanism, said frame,for example, being of generallyr rectangular configuration as shownl inFig. 3.

Disposed within the shell formed by theframe (Cl. (YY-4.1)

3 is a member 4 which-extends in generally a vertical direction, theupper end 4a of said membe-r 4 extending through an opening 5 formed inthe cover plate P. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the upper end 4a of saidmember 4 is provided with a depression 4b,the latter being' utilizableas hereinafter described. The member 4 is intended to oscillate in aVertical plane disposed longitudinally of the main casing C and, to thisend, the lower end of said member 4 may be provided with a pin 4c whichseats loosely within an opening formed in the bottom wall of the frame3. As illustrated on the drawing, the member 4 is biased, for example,by a leaf spring 6 in a clockwise direction, Figs. 1 and 2, said leafspring ii being conveniently secured to said lower wall of the frame 3.The member 4 further comprises a pin 4d extending laterally thereof andbeing utilizable as hereinafter described- A pin l, horizontallydisposed in the side walls of the frame 3, is adapted to support a lever8, one horizontal arm of which is notched as indicated at 8a fordetachable engagement with the aforesaid lateral pin 4d. The otherhorizontal arm of the lever` 8 is connected by a pin-and-slot connection9 with the shank sections of a collar Il) which is soldered or otherwisesuitably secured to a sleeve I I mounted for vertical, reciprocatorymovement in alined passages formed, respectively, in the bottom wall ofthe frame 3 and the cover plate P. As shown in Figs. l and 2, a. helicalspring I 2 encircles the lower part of the sleeve i I and is. disposedbetween the lower wall of said frame 3 and the collar IIJ', said springI2 constantlybiasing the collar I0 and the sleeve II in an upwarddirection toward a stop member i3 carried by the side walls of saidframe 3.

The aforesaid lever 8- comprises a section 3b extending in generally avertical direction, said lever section 8b terminating on its uppersurface in a set of rack teeth 8c. These rack teeth 3c are adapted tomesh with a pinion I4 of a pyrophoric spark-producing unit from whichsparks are projected along a path extending abovethe upper end 4a of themember 4, said pinion I4 being freely rotatable on a pin or axle I5supportedl horizontally in a standard I6 upstanding from the cover plateP. Formed integrally with the pinion I4 is a sleeve II, the pinion andsleeve being freely rotatable on the axle I5. Freely rotatable on thesleeve I'I is a Wheel I3 having a serrated or roughened outer peripheralface. 'Ihe side of the serrated wheel I8 removed kfrom the pinion' I4 isprovided with rack teeth I8a with whichl coacts aA ratchet disk I9mounted on Cfr vthe adjacent end of the sleeve I1, said ratchet disk I9being biased from right to left, Fig. 4, by a coiled spring 20 which isdisposed between said disk I9 and a nut 2I threaded to the outer end ofthe axle I5. The ratchet, disk I9 is freely slidable axially of theprojecting end of the sleeve I1 but is otherwise iixed thereto so as tobe rotatable therewith. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the above describedspark-producing unit is enclosed by a cap structure 22 suitably securedto theV cover plate P and provided with an opening 22a through which thepyrophoric sparks are adapted to pass along the above noted path. Asillustrated, the cap structure 22 denes a surface 22h forming a fulcrumto be engaged, in the manner hereinafter described, by the torch member.

The torch member utilizable with the form of my invention herein shownmay be of any suitable character as well known in the art. Or, ifdesired and as shown in Figs. and 6, said torch member may comprise atubular member 23 terminating in an upper handle section 23a, the lowersurface of which defines a flanged surface 23h, Fig. l. Adapted forassociation with the member 23 is a member 24 which comprises a shank24a adapted to be detachably received in the tubular opening at thebottom of said member 23. As shown, the member 24 is of datconfiguration and is so shaped as to dene a tapered lower section 24h. Awick 25 folded into at U-configuration axially of the member 24 issecured thereto in any suitable manner, as by the flexible wire 26 whichis seated in slots 25o formed at opposite edges of said member 2li.

it will readily be understood that the ends of the wick 25-are exposedbelow the lower end of the tubular member 23.

Accordingly, when the torch member is associated with the completemechanism as shown in Fig. 1, it results that the lower ends of the wick25 come within the vertical passage defined interiorly of the fuelcasing F. As a result, fuel is absorbed by the wick 25 and, since thelatter is ,'of substantial length, the supply of fuel which may be takenup by said wick is relatively large.

As the parts are shown in Fig. l, the lever 8 is in its extreme positionin a clockwise direction. The spring i2 is under compression and is somaintained by reason of the fact that the pin 4d of the member 4 isengaged by thev notched section 3a of the lever 8.

When the mechanism is to be operated, the handle section 23a of thetorch member is grasped to manually remove the same from the tubularmember II and the tapered section 2417 at the lower end of the torchmember is positioned in the depression 4b at the upper end of the member4. Then, in suitable manner, as by utilization of the surface 22h of thecap-structure 22 as a fulcrum, the member 4 is moved in acounter-clockwise direction, Fig. l, to disengage the pin 4d from thenotched section 8a of the lever 8. As soon as disengagement of theseparts is thus effected, the spring I2 is released and expands with asnap action to elevate the collar I0 against the stop surface I3 and toswing the lever 8 in a counter-clockwise direction, Fig. 2. The rackyteeth 8c of the lever 8 coact with the pinion I 4 and, therefore, astep of movement is imparted to the serrated wheel I8 whereby a showercf pyrophoric sparks are produced, these sparks passing along a pathwhich extends through the opening 22a of the cap structure 22 andigniting the charge of fuel carrie-d by the lower ends of the wick 25.

After the torch member has served its intended ignition purpose, it mayagain be introduced into the tubular member Ii. After the flangedsurface 23h thereof engages the upper end of said tubular member,continued downward application of pressure produces downward movement ofthe tubular member to thereby compress the spring I2 and move the lever8 from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. l. When thelever 8 reaches the position last named, the pin 4d of the member 4comes into engagement with the notched section Sa of the lever 8 tothereby latch the parts in their respective positions as shown in Fig. 1so as to be in condition for subsequent automatic operation in themanner hereinbefore described.

It is to be understood that the mechanism hereinbefore specificallydescribed is merely illustrative of the many embodiments which theinvention may take. Thus, for example, in lieu or" the describedspark-producing mechanism, it shall be understood that other equivalentarrangements for obtaining uni-directional movement of a serrated wheelmay be utilized. Furthermore, it is to be understood that fuel may besupplied to the fuel casing F in any convenient manner. It shall also beunderstood that the sealing arrangement interiorly of the fuel casing Ffor the lower end of the torch member may assume any one of a variety offorms in accordance with the broad purview of the invention.

While the invention has been described with respect to a certainparticular preferred example which gives satisfactory results, it willbe understood by those skilled in the art after understanding theinvention, that various changes and modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intendedtherefore in the appended claims to cover all such changes andmodiiications.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A lighter comprising a casing, pyrophoric spark producing means onthe top of said casing, spring means for operating said spark producingmeans to produce a shower of sparks, means within the casing forcontrolling the energization and release of said spring means andincluding latching means for said spring means, the latching means alsocomprising a vertically extending latch control member having its upperend exposed adjacent the path of said sparks, means mounting said memberwhereby said upper end is tiltable to latching and unlatching positions,and fulcrum means positioned above and adjacent said upper end, saidupper end being formed for engagement with, and to be tilted tounlatching position by, a removable torch member when applied inupstanding position to said end and said fulcrum means, said end andsaid fulcrum being sopositioned that the torch member when thus appliedwill be in said path of sparks.

2. A lighter comprising a casing, pyrophoric spark producing means onthe top of said casing, spring means for operating said spark producingmeans to produce a shower of sparks, means within the casing forcontrolling the energization and release of said spring means andincluding latching means for said spring means, the latching means alsocomprising a control member protruding above said casing at a pointadjacent the path of said sparks, means mounting said member whereby itsprotruding portion is movab1e in normally substantially horizontaldirections into latohing and unlatching positions, a removable rod-liketorch member and fulcrum means positioned adjacent said portion, saidportion being formed to receive and to be moved by said removable torchmember When applied in an upstanding position to said portion` and saidfulcrum means, said portion being so positioned that such torch whenthus applied Will be Within said path of sparks.

3. A lighter comprising a casing, pyrophoric spark producing means onthe top of said casing, spring means for operating said spark producingmeans to produce a shower of sparks, means for energizing said springmeans, latching means for said spring means, said latching meanscomprising a control member protruding above said casing at a pointadjacent the path of said sparks, means mounting said member whereby itsprotruding portion is movable in normally sub-' stantially horizontaldirections into latching and unlatching positions, and fulcrum meanscomprising in part a housing means for said spark producing means, saidportion being formed to receive and to be moved by a removable torchmember when applied to said portion and said fulcrum means.

4. A lighter comprising a casing, pyrophoric spark-producing meansmounted on the top thereof, an operating member pivoted Within, saidcasing beneath said means, a vertically extending arm on said memberoperatively associated with said means for actuating the latter, a torchreceiving cavity extending into said casing from a point at one side ofsaid spark-producing means,

spring means in the casing adapted to be energized by the. insertion ofa torch into said cavity, said spring means being operatively associatedwith said pivoted member to normally bias the same for actuatingmovement, a second arm on said, pivoted member and integral with theiirst named arm but extending horizontally in a direction opposite saidcavity, latching means for said spring means associated with said secondarm and including a member protruding from the top of said casingadjacent the path of sparks from said sparking means and adapted to beoperated by engagement with a torch member.

5. A lighter comprising a casing, p-yrophoric spark-producing meansmounted on, the top thereof, an ope-rating member pivoted within saidcasing beneath said means, an upwardly extending portion on said memberoperatively associated With said means for actuating the latter, a torchreceiving cavity extending intosaid casing from a point at one side ofsaid sparkproducing means, spring means in the casing adapted to beenergized by the insertion oi a torch into said cavity, said springmeans being operatively associated with said pivoted member to normallybias the same for actuating movement, another portion on. said pivotedmember extending in a direction opposite said cavity, latching means forsaid spring means associated With said last named portion and includinga f

